Seeking a Mikimoto Pearl Appraisal

Mikimoto pearl appraisal....Join Sweetie, who is a frequent visitor to my website, on her journey towards an appraisal.

Because I have lots of information about Mikimoto on my site, Sweetie contacted me, hoping I could help her get a pearl appraisal on her vintage Mikimoto pearl set.

Since first writing this page, I've discovered new information about getting the replacement value vs getting a Mikimoto pearl appraisal. Read this page for further explanation about these two terms and which is more important when considering insurance. Mikimoto Replacement Value

Here are Sweetie's letters and my answers including the history of these lovely pearls and how this page came about.

Sweetie says

Hi there,

I am emailing you to find out some info on my K.Mikimoto pink pearls. They were given to me by my mother-in-law's family after her death in 1993.

She'd been given the following Mikimoto pearl appraisal in 1993:

18" strand of graduated cultured pearls ranging from approx. 3.7mm at the clasp to 7.15mm in the center. they are unknotted and strung with an ornate sterling clasp stamped with an "M" for a hallmark and also stamped SI. The clasp has a 2.7mm pearl in the center. They are of top commercial grade, and are silver - pink in color. Approx. retail value, new, before taxes $1,200.00.

One pair of screw back sterling cultured pearl earrings with 7 approx. 4.2mm pearls set in cluster on each. The backs are stamped with "M" hallmark and SI. The pearls are of top commercial grade and are a silver - pink color. Approx. retail value, new, before taxes $ 400.00.

These pearls were bought in Ginza, Tokyo during the time my mother-in-law's husband was in the Korean War. The info I gave you was given to me by a certified gemologist when I had them appraised in 1993.

My question is what would they be worth? They are in the original box they were bought in--very pretty and I have never worn them.

I was told my mother in law wore them one time. The only thing I had done to them was cleaned and appraised and the appraiser said she had to call the company to insure they indeed were real and they were.

The appraisal called them the K.Mikimoto pink pearl. The appraiser, due to age of the pearls, was careful not to mess them up. I too am very careful. I try not to touch them due to the fact that they are so delicate.

Thank you....Sweetie

Kari says

Hello Sweetie,

Thanks for your email. It sounds like you are blessed with a wonderful set of Mikimoto pearls. Lucky you.

I really have no way of knowing myself what the present value would be for them, but since they were purchased in Ginza, Tokyo, maybe contacting them about a Mikimoto pearl appraisal
would be a good idea.

I'm not sure if they could tell you without seeing
them, but when I was there visiting, people were very friendly and helpful.

The manager, Mr. Hiroaki Takano, was very kind to me and appreciated the fact that I had information about K. Mikimoto on my website.

I suggest sending them a copy of the appraisal and also a photo of your
pearls and ask them for their help.

The Mikimoto stores in Japan have extra services that the Mikimoto stores in
the USA don't have, like free restringing for life.

Also, Mikimoto pearls in Japan don't have knots. The people in Japan and Korea think the knots detract from their beauty.

I hope this is helpful.

PS. If I were you, I'd at least wear them occasionally and enjoy them. They should be quite durable.

God bless you and your plans with these pearls.

Kari

Sweetie says

Sweetie writes:

Thank you so much for your help and I will try to contact the store in Tokyo and ask about a Mikimoto pearl appraisal.

I do have a picture and appraisal papers put away in safe place with my K.Mikimoto pearls.

The reason I don't wear them is because of the age of the pearls. The gemologist told me if I ever restrung them would de-value them as they are original of the first ones ever made and back then pearls did not have knots as the ones I have no knots.

They are antique and I wouldn't dare mess them up.

Thank you ..Sweetie

Kari says

Hello Sweetie,

Thanks for your reply.

Would you be willing to keep me informed as to how your research on this goes? I'm interested in Mikimoto pearl appraisal searches. I think other people would also be interested in learning how to do this.

Would you consider letting me write an entire page for my website about your pearls and the Mikimoto pearl appraisal process.

I'm interested in Mikimoto, the person, the company and their pearls, as you probably noticed from my site.

You're probably right about not wearing your pearls considering the age of them. For sure the string may be fragile.

God bless and I hope to hear from you again.

Kari

Sweetie says

Hello Kari

Thank you for your interest in my pearls.

If I look at the site correctly on prices & values my pearls from Japan and possibly in US may be worth a good bit.

Of course, as I said I just thought it would be nice to find out just how much they would be worth today. Having something so valuable and sentimental a family heirloom is an honor to me.

Though in my search for a Mikimoto pearl appraisal, I still have a ways to go.

I thought maybe if I found someone whom knew a lot about the first K.Mikimoto pearls they could help. I just need to figure out how and where to search for that person.

As I said the pearls were given to me by my hubby and his family as he was the only child. They were his mother's given to her by her hubby whom was a colonial in the US army reserves and served in the Korean War. He bought them for his wife while serving in the military while stationed in that country. That would explain the age of them.

Exact age I can't really tell you because I have no way of knowing the years he was there but I could look at his military records that I also have. Maybe that could give me an idea of approximate year they were bought.

You are more than welcome to write a page about my pearls if you like.

Thank you, Sweetie

Side note by Kari

At this point Sweetie e-mailed the main Mikimoto store in Ginza, Tokyo, Japan and asked about a Mikimoto pearl appraisal.

I suggested she contact them, because they were purchased there, but any USA Mikimoto store could also do an official Mikimoto pearl appraisal.

Sweetie says

Hi Kari,

Could you see the antique clasp on the necklace and the screw backs on the earrings? That you don't see much anymore.

I still haven’t heard from the store about a Mikimoto pearl appraisal. I know they received the pictures with the description like I sent you because i received a note that they got it. Wish I could hear from them soon! I feel I may not hear from them partly because I am from another part of the country or maybe they didn't understand the reason I was e-mailing them.

I do know for fact they are real pearls that’s all that matters to me. I may have to take them to be appraised again just to see what they worth today.

I don't know how pearls rate from year to year as far as prices on antique values of pearls.

I'd also like to find out the age of the pearls too, if anyway possible.

Kari, would you know the value of these pearls just from the info I sent you from the appraisal and pictures? Would you make just a guess?

Because in 1993 the necklace was appraised at 1,200 and the earrings were appraised at $400.

All I know is that the gemologist who I took them to said she had to call companies in Korea and Japan to find about the pearls because she had never seen any look like the ones I had.

She was most amazed with them and she is the one that told me they are known as the K.Mikimoto pink pearl.

Thanks again ..Sweetie

Kari says

Hello Sweetie,

Thanks for the letter.

I wish I could give you a ballpark figure for your pearls, but I don't even dare try, really.

I do know that a simple strand of 7 mm Mikimoto pearls today can range from $3,000-$6,000 depending upon depth of luster, and yours are old and in good shape, so I'm sure they've increased in value over the last appraisal 12 years ago. The earrings are especially nice with a cluster like that.

I was constantly overwhelmed by the high prices of Mikimoto pearls that I saw in over 10 stores in Japan and Korea and NYC too.

Thanks again,

Kari

Side note by Kari

I am aware that official dealers for Mikimoto pearl jewelry will give an appraisal of the new jewerly upon purchase.

To receive an official Mikimoto Pearl appraisal with the new jewelry, there is a $25 extra charge.But that's for newly purchased jewelry.

Another website visitor asked about the value of a Mikimioto souvenir spoon, still in it's original box.

I wrote to an American Mikimoto representative for her and in reply the representative said to receive an official Mikimoto pearl appraisal, the item would need to be brought to a Mikimoto store for evaluation.